Japanese man caught with live otters, owls and hawks in bags at airport

national March 01, 2017 01:00

By The Nation

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A 57-year-old Japanese man, who was arrested at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport on Monday night for allegedly attempting to smuggle wildlife animals back to his home country, claimed he had bought the animals at the Chatuchak Weekend Market on Sunday for 50,000 yen (Bt15,000) to raise as pets in Japan.

The suspect, identified as Kazushi Yamamoto, is currently being detained at the airport and representatives of the Japanese Embassy in Thailand visited him yesterday morning to provide assistance.

The man was apprehended after airport officials found live animals in his two bags, including 12 otters, five owls and three hawks. He was initially charged for violating of the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act 1992 while the animals were confiscated and sent to the National Parks Department.